93 replies to this topic

[djstubbs]

I think Mcgreevey is right to keep the CAA and the Devils where they are.

[Don]

I got that impression...

[pattyelias]

dj.......i hate picking on you but i have to here. the 5 mile difference to newark makes a huge difference. why? because you can get there by public transportation from everywhere in the state and from nyc. how can you get to the meadowlands without a car? you can take a bus from manhattan but once you're there it is impossible to get anywhere else by public transportation unless you are planning on going back to manhattan. you can say "well everyone drives in nj" which is by and large true, BUT people who take the trains and buses to work in newark, jersey city, new york, etc cannot go to the games during the week because there is no way to get there or back home. if your suggestion is a renovated CAA with a rail link to the secaucus junction and all the entertainment ammenities that would accompany xanadu, i'd be interested in that. however, IMO newark is the way to go. unfortunately you think that since CAA is convenient for you that it is therefore that convenient for everyone else. that is just not true.

[RowdyFan42]

Not true -- the current plans for a renovated CAA within the Xanadu development envision a drastically scaled down facility of 8-10,000 seats designed to hold concerts and other family events. Zoffinger has been quoted on many occasions comparing the renovated CAA to the Theatre at MSG. They don't give a damn about hockey, because they lose a lot of money under current lease provisions, and don't see them getting any better under a new deal. On the contrary, NJSEA, McGreevey and Zoffinger see a downsized arena holding concerts and Dora the Explorer as a profit generating facility.

Interesting. So really, Newark doesn't have much to worry about if the CAA stays open because in theory the two arenas would be chasing different kinds of events. Yes, no?

[NewarkDevil5]

That is why we want it, dj. Look for the words Newark Penn Station, Newark Broad Street Station, Newark Airport Station and Meadowlands Sports Complex Station. One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn't belong. If you don't get it after looking at this map then its obvious your brain has been hardwired and you're an evil robot programed by the head of the Bergen County Republican Party.

[NJayDevil]

Man if that arena is built right there by Newark Penn, all I would have to do is drive to Pt. Pleasant and let the rails do all the work.

[NewarkDevil5]

Actually it would be easier for you to drive to Bayhead and let the rails do all the work because otherwise you have to change trains at Long Branch. Thats one of the little annoying things about the North Jersey Coast line: the train goes to Long Branch and then continues on straight to Bayhead with none of the stops in between. To get to any of the stops in between there's a train that goes from Long Branch to Bayhead local.

[MantaRay]

It would be much easier for me as well. I live in Hoboken, which is about a 15 minute drive to CAA...provided one has a car.

Since I don't want to rent a car for a hockey game, I have to travel to NYC Port Authority to take a Bus back to NJ, which makes that 15 mintue trip from my apartment roughly 2.5 hours each way.

MSG has PATH connections to Hoboken, so I am forced to watch the Rangers minor league level quality of hockey sometimes twice a week (Ranger tickets are always free!).

The Newark arena has better access FROM NYC than CAA (NJ Transit buses/trains and the PATH) so the new arena would be a FAR superior location for Devil fans who work in NYC. Greater Access means greater attendance.

[NewarkDevil5]

Upgraded Byrne Arena or simply the present Byrne depending on what happens. Since the governor has flatly refused to allow public money to go into the building of a new arena for the benefit of millionaire sports owners I must assume that it will simply be the current version of the Byrne Arena.

Not true -- the current plans for a renovated CAA within the Xanadu development envision a drastically scaled down facility of 8-10,000 seats designed to hold concerts and other family events. Zoffinger has been quoted on many occasions comparing the renovated CAA to the Theatre at MSG. They don't give a damn about hockey, because they lose a lot of money under current lease provisions, and don't see them getting any better under a new deal. On the contrary, NJSEA, McGreevey and Zoffinger see a downsized arena holding concerts and Dora the Explorer as a profit generating facility. I'm a democrat, but McGreevey is a snake (and it is an open secret in Trenton that he is homosexual, but that is another story . . .)

This hasn't been the retoric I've heard of late, though its what they were talking about doing way back a year and a half ago when the original Newark Arena plan was on the drawing board. If this is true, they're in essence going to create a locale for concerts of the sort that go to PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. I'd like to see a theater in the Newark Arena as well, but one thats *actually* of the same sort as the Theater at MSG with some 1000 seats. That would bring the total of major theaters in downtown Newark to four and may open up a market for private theaters again.

[CaptainScotty]

you, with the newark airport doing so well, I think putting the arena in Newark would be excellent.

I think that I should beg, borrow and steal money and put up a hotel nearby, where all the incoming teams can stay.

I know a lot of casual devils fans in the city, as well as some good friends down near Trenton. Put a rail line near the stadium, and its as good as done.

But also, I hope the NHL (especially the devils), cut ticket prices considerably after the new CBA. I think if the tickets were about 10-20% cheaper, there woudl be more asses in the seats.

[CRASHER]

Actually there are a few nice downtown Newark hotels already in the area and
raring to go that would be good enough for the NHL teams.... I know this cause my
sister's wedding reception was in the Newark Center and it was GOREGOUS there,
and being in the wedding party we all got put up in a downtown hotel so the family
could get snotted at the reception

[msweet]

Unless you are on the blue, red or orange lines, you'll have to take 2 trains to the EWR arena???

BTW, great pic ND5

[PeteyNice]

msweet, they are building a subway that will go from Broad St Station to Penn Station so it would still be convenient for people on the green and brown lines.

The purple line only has weekday rush hour service so it doesn't really count.

[msweet]

msweet, they are building a subway that will go from Broad St Station to Penn Station so it would still be convenient for people on the green and brown lines.

The purple line only has weekday rush hour service so it doesn't really count.

That's still 2 trains.

Not going to happen for me.

There is no chance I'm going to stand in a Broad Street Newark Subway station with my wife and kids on a cold winter night.

The driving options better be there or all of the fans from puple and green line areas will be gone.

If they really care about us???

[NewarkDevil5]

The link between Broad Street Station and Penn Station makes the following stops: Broad Street Train Station (not to be confused with the Broad Street subway station), Riverfront Stadium, Washington Park, NJPAC and Penn Station. If you're really so desperate to avoid standing in a station in Newark you can take the train to the Secaucus Transfer and come back with that. It'll take another 15 minutes but might give you that peace of mind. Or if you want I'll start running a shuttle service from Broad Street Station $1 a head.

[CRASHER]

There is no chance I'm going to stand in a Broad Street Newark Subway station with my wife and kids on a cold winter night.

The driving options better be there or all of the fans from puple and green line areas will be gone.

If they really care about us???

I can vouch for freezing my can off in Newark Subway stations after seeing a Devils
game by train this year

and it's a tough thing they DO care about the fans but they DON'T.. it's not the
fan base that is the Devils issue.. it's corporate and luxury box sales that they
are worrying about... also another not-mentioned but problem the Devils have
(Nets too).. they're NOT tied to a city.. like every other team in the NHL is...
yeah the Senators play outside the city too, but they HAD to (at least that was
Sara's explanation when I went there) and they are the only NHL game in town
as we have plenty of competition to concern ourselves with also.. which is another
reason why a move to NJ's main city makes sense (to me at least)

[msweet]

The link between Broad Street Station and Penn Station makes the following stops: Broad Street Train Station (not to be confused with the Broad Street subway station), Riverfront Stadium, Washington Park, NJPAC and Penn Station. If you're really so desperate to avoid standing in a station in Newark you can take the train to the Secaucus Transfer and come back with that. It'll take another 15 minutes but might give you that peace of mind. Or if you want I'll start running a shuttle service from Broad Street Station $1 a head.

Extra 15 minutes...2 trains...all of this is just b.s.

For those FEW of you who actually PAY for season's tickets and POST here, you'll understand what I'm about to say. For the rest of you Newark loving folk who spew train, public transportation garbage, but don't pay the Devil's bills you can listen too... but before you respond, remember I pay the bills.. you don't.

In order to afford to pay for Devil's season tickets, one must have a day job that pays for those tickets. Now let's say you are lucky enough to only work 9-5 (and still are able to afford those tickets)...

What you guys are proposing is that us working/paying folk do is go home from work at 5, eat dinner, grab our jersey's, our wives and kids, drive to the train. Wait for the train. Take the train to a transfer station in Newark or Secaucus. Wait for another Train/Subway/Bus. Go through Newark and exit at the stadium. Walk to the arena from the station. After the game, we should then wait for the Train/Subway/Bus, take that to a transfer station. Wait for the train. take the train home to the station. And then get up for work the next day. And do this for 41 home games plus playoffs.

Are you all f-ing nuts?

Find me someone who actually pays for season's tickets that is willing to do that.

I'm not.

Which is why, if they want to keep any of the 12,000 current paying season ticket holders, they better have a very good driving solution for EWR.

If you are not ever going to buy season's tickets, your feeling and thoughts about the location of the arena are meaningless to me.

Stop advocating something you are not willing to pay for.

[Triumph]

I think that's a very good post msweet, and sums up the position against Newark very well... and within it, you point out some things implicit in ND5's general argument.

ND5 is NOT proposing your schedule. Ideally, I think he believes that one would not go home after work on a Devils' game night, but would rather go from work directly to Newark to eat dinner, and then go to the game. Implicit in this is that most of the people he thinks the team can get at are single. Families compose a lot of the season ticket holders now. It's clear that has not worked well enough.

And he's claiming, although I think spuriously, that there will be no traffic problems, so that driving will be easy too.

[CRASHER]

I already have weekend season tickets (my job can have me working all day long
.. or sometimes 4 times a month ).. and it's too unstable to be able to get weeknights
games, and it's a little bit out of my financial means, but I'll be doing more of the
same of this if the Devils are in Newark (well that depends... if I get the work at the
building next door to Newark/Penn I'd go to weeknight night games)... so I MIGHT
be the exception there.. but I'll take the short (for me) train right as opposed to the
aggrivation of Route 21... I could be the execption, but I can give good directions
from the parkway to the Roselle Park train stop for anyone who'd want them

[PeteyNice]

There is no arena solution that is going to appeal to everyone (except Secaucus and that ship has sailed). I do not have season tickets now as to go home from work and then drive the Meadowlands would mean that I would always miss the first period. I am married and do not have kids but assuming there is an arena in Newark and I did have kids I would have my wife and kid get on a train, meet me in Newark for a nice dinner, go to the game and then the three of us take the train home together afterwards. For a lot of people it is one train. Looking at a map it looks like it would be an inexpensive taxi between Broad St Station and where they propose the arena to be. I do not know what your big aversion to taking the Newark Subway thing is. It is not like NJ Transit trains that only run a few times an hour they are like NYC Subway trains that run every few minutes and I am sure they would be scheduled to connect for when your train arrives at Newark Broad St and when the game ends.